Stanley uses AI for processes, but not for creative in advertising
Lifestyle brand Stanley 1913 actively uses artificial intelligence for internal processes but refuses to use it in advertising creatives seen by consumers. This was stated by Chief Brand Officer Kate Ridley. While many companies strive to automate everything—from media buying to content production—Stanley draws a clear line: AI is acceptable everywhere except what the customer sees.
Stanley’s position on AI in marketing
According to Ridley, the company “has not used AI for external, consumer-facing creative” and does not plan to do so in the foreseeable future. While many brands aim to automate everything—from media buying to creative production, citing speed and cost savings—Stanley draws a clear line: AI is acceptable everywhere except what the customer sees.
Where AI is applied
Artificial intelligence is used in the stages of ideation, concept, and pre-production. “AI takes over a lot of manual work in our processes and is useful in personalization, but I don’t see us using it in a creative sense,” Ridley emphasized. This policy applies even in the new campaign for the Vitalized Temp bottle.
Focus on in-house resources and creators
Instead of outsourcing creative work, Stanley invests in its own team: internal departments in North America and Europe, as well as its own photo studio, which serves as the brand’s content engine. The company has significantly increased its budget for working with content creators.
“We’ve returned to a more traditional approach—seeding and providing the product to more creators for authentic connections. For Gen Z, this is important: they can smell fake paid relationships from a mile away,” Ridley noted.
Stanley is developing internal restrictions on AI usage. “We have different creative centers in regions that create their own marketing tools. We need to ensure that if they use AI for personalization, they do it consistently with the same boundaries,” Ridley explained. The company does not rule out completely abandoning AI, but for now, it focuses on human creativity.
Frequently asked questions
Does Stanley use AI to create advertising?
No, the company fundamentally does not use generative AI in content that consumers see.
Where is AI used at Stanley?
AI is used in internal stages: ideation, concept, personalization, and process optimization.
How does Stanley promote products without AI?
The brand relies on its own creative teams and work with content creators through authentic collaboration.
Conclusion
Ultimately, Stanley chooses a balance: AI efficiency inside the company and human creativity in what customers see. This approach could serve as an example for other brands seeking a middle ground in technology use. If you want to learn more about brand strategies in the AI era, subscribe to our updates and stay informed on the latest trends.
Best Scenarios for AI Video Advertising: Apps, Online Stores, Localization, Mass Testing, Regulated Categories, AI Characters, and Limitations
AI video advertising works best where the volume of variants directly impacts return on ad spend. Key scenarios include app installs, online stores, localization, mass message testing, and series with an AI character. Bad scenarios are expensive brand films, high-trust categories, controversial promises, imitating real people without consent, and situations where production quality defines brand image.
AI advertising is not a universal replacement for all production. Its strength is speed, variability, and reducing the cost of each subsequent version. Its weakness is trust, legal limitations, the risk of artificiality, and the need for strict verification.
McKinsey shows that AI adoption has already become widespread, but value does not appear automatically: companies with the best results more often have redesigned processes, human oversight, and outcome measurement.
Scenario 1. App Installs
For apps, AI advertising is especially useful because in this category it is important to quickly test different messages.
What can be tested:
time savings;
convenience;
benefit;
interface simplicity;
comparison with the old method;
emotion after use;
screen demonstration;
short video in a user-generated style.
The plus of AI is that the team can quickly make 20–50 short versions and find which first frame gives the best response. For apps, this is often more important than an expensive staged video.
AI is useful when a team wants to test not just one piece of material, but a map of hypotheses.
For example:
5 angles of presentation;
4 first frames;
5 formats;
2 languages;
2 video lengths.
TikTok emphasizes that the first seconds of a video are critically important for ad memorability, and the value message needs to be delivered early. For AI video, this is especially important: a bad first frame can ruin even a technically polished piece of material.
Scenario 5. Regulated Categories — Only with Restrictions
AI can be used in regulated categories, but with caution. These include finance, medicine, education, gaming, betting, insurance, investments, children’s products, and other sensitive areas.
What is mandatory:
a legal list of permitted formulations;
a list of prohibited promises;
verification of age restrictions;
verification of images of people;
voice verification;
disclosure of AI, if required;
final approval by a human.
AI cannot be used for fabricated reviews, unsubstantiated medical claims, impersonating a doctor without basis, or promising income without disclosing risks.
Scenario 6. Series with an AI Character
An AI character can become a recurring face of the brand: an assistant, host, salesperson, mascot, game hero, or explaining expert.
Pros:
the character is always available;
series can be produced quickly;
language can be easily changed;
a consistent style can be maintained;
no dependence on the actor’s schedule.
Risks:
the character may look artificial;
the audience may not trust;
verification for similarity to real people is needed;
disclosure is required where necessary.
For serial content, an AI character is especially useful when the brand does not pretend it is a real person, but honestly uses it as a synthetic hero.
How VibeVO addresses these scenarios
VibeVO is best suited for tasks where the brand needs volume: many videos, many banners, many variations of one message, multiple languages, different audiences, and regular new waves of materials.
Situation
What can be done through VibeVO
There is a product
Create dozens of videos for different benefits
There is a mascot
Make a series with the character in different scenes
There is an advertising hypothesis
Prepare many variations for testing
There are multiple markets
Localize materials into different languages
There is a brand style
Scale it into different formats
There is a reach task
Create banners and short ads
There is an installation task
Create short videos with different first frames
The main difference from regular production is scale. VibeVO is not limited to one video. If the brand has a clear brief, production can be quickly scaled up to get a large flow of materials for a specific advertising task.
For apps, this could be dozens of installation videos. For an online store, variations by category and product. For localization, versions in different languages. For a brand with a mascot, a regular series where the character explains the product, jokes, shows use cases, or hosts short educational videos.
Where AI video ads are best not used
Situation
Why AI is not better
Main brand film
High production value needed
Founder’s personal story
Real person needed
Medical claims
High risk of errors
Financial guarantees
Legal rigor needed
Luxury brand
Artificiality may reduce perception
Trustworthy testimonial
Real customer is better
Imitation of a celebrity
Rights and reputation risks
VibeVO should not be used for deceptive imitation of a real person, fake testimonials, or questionable claims. If a real client, doctor, expert, founder, or public figure is needed, a real person and their participation rights are required. AI is best used where the brand honestly creates a synthetic advertising format: a character, a banner, a product video, explanatory material, or a localized version.
FAQ
Can AI video advertising ruin brand perception?
Yes, if the material looks cheap, unnatural, deceptive, or violates the company’s style. The risk is lower if AI is used for clear tasks: variations, localization, overlays, short clips, tests, rather than for simulating a real person without disclosure.
Is AI video advertising safe for regulated categories?
Only with strict restrictions. Approved formulations, legal review, a ban on fabricated testimonials, control over images, and disclosure of AI where required are necessary. Without this, AI advertising in a regulated category can be dangerous.
What is the worst-case scenario for AI video advertising?
The worst-case scenario is presenting a synthetic person as a real expert or client, making unsubstantiated claims, and not disclosing the use of AI. This simultaneously risks trust, legal issues, and reputation.
Conclusion
AI video advertising opens up huge opportunities for scaling, testing, and localization. But success depends on choosing the right scenarios and strict quality control. Start small: choose one of the described scenarios, test it on a small volume, and measure the results. Ready to try? Contact us to discuss your first project with VibeVO.
